Hong Kong’s subsequent Chief Govt can be Beijing loyalist John Lee

John Lee, a pro-Beijing loyalist who's the only candidate for Hong Kong's prime put up, has been elected to be Hong Kong's subsequent chief executive.

Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Pictures

John Lee, a Beijing loyalist, has been elected to be Hong Kong's subsequent chief executive.

Lee, the only candidate for Hong Kong's top publish, received 1,416 votes in Sunday's election.

About 1,500 members of a largely pro-Beijing election committee solid their votes to pick the brand new chief. Lee solely wanted a simple majority to win.

The 64-year-old Lee, who was previously Hong Kong's chief secretary, will begin his five-year time period on July 1, changing outgoing Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, after the U.Okay. handed over the former colony to Beijing. It is governed under the "one nation, two systems" framework, and has limited election rights and a principally separate legal and economic system.

Hong Kong's electoral system went through a major overhaul final yr after Beijing said that only so-called "patriots" should be allowed to control the town.

At a press conference after his election, Lee was requested if his performance shall be "challenged by the lack of electoral mandate and legitimacy within the eyes of some individuals."

His reply was that his election was "run in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong."

"Anyone, who in accordance with the law is qualified, can take part and run for the election," he added.

Pointing out that he garnered more than 1,400 votes, Lee stated: "With that number of assist, in fact, it encourages me and provides me the sturdy confidence that my direction is agreed and shared by lots of election committee members."

John Lee, a Beijing loyalist, has been picked to be town's next chief executive.

Bloomberg | Getty Images

In a note last week, analysts at Eurasia Group weighed in on Beijing's alternative of Lee as the subsequent Hong Kong leader.

"The collection of Lee, a career police officer who performed a number one role within the crackdown on the pro-democracy protests that started in 2019, indicates that Beijing's high precedence for Hong Kong is maintaining political safety fairly than preserving its role as a dynamic world hub," they mentioned.

"Lee's appointment will reinforce Hong Kong's shift from being a world financial and business middle to enjoying a narrower position as a capital gateway for China," Eurasia's analysts mentioned. "While the risks to political and monetary stability are modest, Lee's administration may be poorly equipped to reply to a major shock."

In keeping with China's Covid-19 coverage, Hong Kong has a so-called "dynamic zero" technique for the virus and imposed strict measures in January in an try and blunt its unfold. The city tightened restrictions additional in February as new cases raged, but began easing slightly in late April.

The election was earlier postponed resulting from a surge in Covid circumstances in the Asian financial hub.

I make it a very clear level that I am very conscious of the should be accessible to the world. And in addition it is a crucial thing for Hong Kong to be able to resume normal travel with the mainland.

John Lee

Hong Kong's incoming chief executive

At the press conference, Lee was additionally requested how he will present the worldwide neighborhood that Hong Kong is open for enterprise.

"Yes, we have challenges now because of the need to control Covid-19 and some of the measures are certainly creating inconvenience," he acknowledged.

"I make it a very clear level that I am very aware of the should be accessible to the world. And likewise it is an important factor for Hong Kong to have the ability to resume regular journey with the mainland."

He mentioned he might be speaking to his counterparts in Beijing "to seek out out what are the conditions that will probably be required for regular journey to be resumed with the mainland."

Lee additionally known as on residents to observe the advice and measures of the government, and stated the city will search to boost its vaccination price. In line with authorities statistics, greater than 91% of the population above the age of 12 have obtained their first vaccine dose as of Saturday, and 85.2% have received their second dose.

Hong Kong's outgoing chief govt Lam congratulated Lee on Sunday.

"I prolong my sincere congratulations to Mr John Lee on his successful election," she said in a press release. "The present-term authorities and I will ensure a seamless transition with the Chief Government-elect. We'll render all the help wanted for the belief of office by the new time period of presidency."

Correction: This story has been up to date to replicate that John Lee gained 1,416 votes in Hong Kong's chief government election. An earlier model of the story misrepresented that determine.